American Eloquence, Volume 3 eBook

But, sir, it is not necessary for me to speak to you
of the consequences that will follow disunion.
Who of us is not proud of the greatness we have achieved?
Disunion and separation destroy that greatness.
Once disunited, we are no longer great. The nations
of the earth who have looked upon you as a formidable
Power, and rising to untold and immeasurable greatness
in the future, will scoff at you. Your flag, that
now claims the respect of the world, that protects
American property in every port and harbor of the
world, that protects the rights of your citizens everywhere,
what will become of it? What becomes of its glorious
influence? It is gone; and with it the protection
of American citizens and property. To say nothing
of the national honor which it displayed to all the
world, the protection of your rights, the protection
of your property abroad is gone with that national
flag, and we are hereafter to conjure and contrive
different flags for our different republics according
to the feverish fancies of revolutionary patriots
and disturbers of the peace of the world. No,
sir; I want to follow no such flag. I want to
preserve the union of my country. We have it
in our power to do so, and we are responsible if we
do not do it.

I do not despair of the Republic. When I see
before me Senators of so much intelligence and so
much patriotism, who have been so honored by their
country, sent here as the guardians of that very union
which is now in question, sent here as the guardians
of our national rights, and as guardians of that national
flag, I cannot despair; I cannot despond. I cannot
but believe that they will find some means of reconciling
and adjusting the rights of all parties, by concessions,
if necessary, so as to preserve and give more stability
to the country and to its institutions.

ROBERT TOOMBS,

OF GEORGIA. (BORN 1810—­DIED 1885.)

ON SECESSION; SECESSIONIST OPINION;

IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE, JANUARY 7, 1861.

MR. PRESIDENT AND SENATORS:

The success of the Abolitionists and their allies,
under the name of the Republican party, has produced
its logical results already. They have for long
years been sowing dragons’ teeth, and have finally
got a crop of armed men. The Union, sir, is dissolved.
That is an accomplished fact in the path of this discussion
that men may as well heed. One of your confederates
has already, wisely, bravely, boldly, confronted public
danger, and she is only ahead of many of her sisters
because of her greater facility for speedy action.
The greater majority of those sister States, under
like circumstances, consider her cause as their cause;
and I charge you in their name to-day, “Touch
not Saguntum.” It is not only their cause,
but it is a cause which receives the sympathy and will
receive the support of tens and hundreds of thousands